


Letters

by meganflutefire



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-06
Updated: 2014-03-19
Packaged: 2018-01-14 17:08:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1274425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meganflutefire/pseuds/meganflutefire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joanna and her mother Jocelyn were hit by a drunk driver on their way home from a high school football game. Jocelyn was killed, but Joanna survived. Bones now has a chance to regain custody of Joanna.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Just the Beginning

     For Joanna, it happened on a crisp autumn day, on a road she knew well. It was a normal day after school, the clouds looming overhead, when Joanna was driving home. She wasn’t alone though, she had her mother Jocelyn with her. They were on their way home from a late Friday night football when a driver forgot about the sharp turn around the hill.

     For Bones, it was a quiet day aboard the Enterprise. Surprisingly, Jim hadn’t found a new food to be allergic to during breakfast. Bones was enjoying, er, tolerating a cut of replicated coffee as he waited for a message from Joanna. She usually messaged him after every football game with highlights and scores, but Bones knew this game had been a big one. Two county rivals, both undefeated, playing hard as to hopefully be seen by one of the many scouts. There had even been rumors of a college coach planning to attend the game. No news arrived that night, but was to be expected in the morning. The message Bones received was not the message he’d been hoping for. It was a message he’d hoped he’d never see.

    _Dr. McCoy, We are sad to inform you of the death of Jocelyn McCoy and wish to inform you of the state of your daughter Joanna McCoy. Late last night, a driver hit Jocelyn and Joanna on their way home. Jocelyn unfortunately died at the scene before paramedics arrived from head trauma. Joanna managed to survive with only an injury to the shoulder. Joanna will be sent into foster care until she turns 18. If you wish to know more information, feel free to message back._

Bones sat in shock, staring at the PADD. Joining Starfleet was supposed to keep Joanna safe, but apparently separation couldn’t protect her from the impact of a car.

“Dr. McCoy, the Captain has requested your presence on the bridge.” Informed the nurse, whichever one it was.

Bones slowly stood up and made his way to the bridge, heart heavy with grief, and mind racing not knowing what to do next. Bones arrived at the bridge and was greeted with concerned faces.

“You alright there Bones? You look a little tired.” Asked Jim

“Fine. Fine. What’d you call me here for?”

“We received a transmission requesting our CMO’s presence on Earth. Any idea what it’s about?”

“Oh yes, I know exactly what it’s about.” Bones replied, rubbing his forehead.

“Well care to join me for lunch? We can talk then.”

 

Jim seemed less surprised than Bones expected after learning about Joanna.

“So they need you on Earth to sort out things? What about Joanna? Shouldn’t you have input on the situation?”

“I wish they’d consider my input, but after the divorce, Jocelyn took complete custody of Joanna. The state won’t listen to me.”

“Why not try? She doesn’t have a stepfather right? You should at least be given the chance to take custody over her. She’s 17, they might not listen to you, but they’ll listen to her; especially after losing her mother.”

“I’ll try and see what I can do, but if I regain custody of Joanna, she’ll need to live with me until she turns 18. The Enterprise-“

“Is the perfect place for her to finish her junior year and turn 18 before senior year.”


	2. New Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize in advance if the dialogue seems a bit dry. I'll just leave the chapter here....

‘What’s going on?’ Joanna wondered as she awoke to strange, yet familiar sounds of beeping machines. She tried sitting up, but the ache in her shoulder sent her back against the pillows with a groan escaping. ‘Okay,’ she thought ‘something big obviously happened before mom and I got home, but what?’ ’And this ache in my shoulder is telling me that something isn’t good.’

“Looks like the good ‘ol doctor’s daughter is finally awake. You’ve been out cold for two days.” Stated a young doctor as he strolled into the white walled room.

“How do you feel?” he asked.

“Best sleep I’ve gotten since middle school; what happened?”

“I’m not sure I’m the best person to explain it all to you, I’ll just let Mrs. Griff talk to you.” And he left with that.

“Hello Miss McCoy,” said a short, suited woman as she walked into the room. She seemed more upbeat than she should be in a hospital.

“I hear you’re recovering much quicker than the doctors expected. Don’t worry, you’ll be off to your new home by tomorrow night.”

“New home?” Joanna asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh yes, I’m so sorry dear, but your mother, Jocelyn, didn’t make it. We’ve already had the funeral; I’ve heard you’ve never been keen on attending funerals so we got it over with.”

“New home?”

“Yes dear, since you are 17, we’ll be taking you to a girls home where you’ll stay until you graduate.”

“Well that sounds promising,” Joanna sarcastically remarked, “but I do have a father who loves me, that’d be a great place to send me.”

“We would normally send you to a family member, but your father has a bad history and does not live in a place suitable for a young lady.” the woman impatiently replied.

“My father was not violent, it was mother who was the problem!” yelled Joanna angrily.

“No need for that, now get some rest.” And the woman left.

As promised, Joanna was checked out of the hospital and carried off to Ms. McGorder’s Girls Home. It was a plain home in the suburbs and had two stories and a basement. Joanna noticed during her tour of the home that all the common rooms were on the main level, though roomy, the bedrooms were another story. The bedrooms were small, and housed four girls. There was only room for the beds, a couple desks, and chests at the end of the bunks.

Joanna met her roommates through their decorations on their beds. She did meet them at meals, but mostly kept to herself and became consumed in her homework. The girls seemed a bit hurt, but left Joanna alone.

Letters started to be exchanged a week later as Joanna lay in her room. Joanna and her father sent letters to each other on holidays and birthdays, but nothing more lest Jocelyn find out. Despite having a doctor as a father, Joanna loathed hospitals, and with this shoulder injury she desperately needed a distraction. Letters between her and her father proved to be an excellent distraction, they gave Joanna hope for her future that hopefully would not involve the words ‘foster care’.

Friends had visited from school and church, but Joanna never did take well to pity, something Bones had never given to her or taught her to love. Joanna loved the letters from Bones. They all talked of memories and future plans. They talked of arguments to bring up in court and how to go about a new life on the Enterprise. Bones loved the letters as well, after 7 years never talking to his daughter; it was nice to discover how much she had grown up.

Three weeks passed when Joanna got the call she’d been hoping for. Her father had been talking to the judges from his PADD whenever he got a free moment aboard the Enterprise, and along with recommendations from various people high in Starfleet ranks, he got permission to bring Joanna aboard the Enterprise to finish her studies in peace. Joanna would come back to Earth when she finished school, and have access to funds to put her through college if she wished to do so.

By the next afternoon, a car was waiting outside to take Joanna to her father. A long drive to the shuttle and a stressful and anxiety filled shuttle ride later, Joanna was greeting her father at last. She even ignored the stares of the crew as she ran to Bones, not one glare was given to any member of the Enterprise crew as father and daughter were reunited after seven long years of silence.


End file.
